Device for feeding sheets to printing presses, folding machines, and the like



June 1925- 1,539,918

G. SPIESS DEVICE FOR DING SHEETQ TO PRINTING PRESSES LIKE Fon" q memms, AND THE F1196 061.. l, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

W Zen for ma): es: es

June 1925- 1,539,918

G. SPIESS DEVICE FOR FEEDING SHEETS TO PRINTING PRESSES, FOLDING MACHINES, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 1, 1923- 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lines June 1925- 1,539,918

G. SPIESS DEVICE FOR FEEDING SHEETS TO PRINT PRESSES,

FOLDING MACHINES, AND THE E Filed Oct. 1, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 2, 1925.

STTS' UNITE GEORG SPIESS, O13 LEIPZIG, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR FEEDING SHEETS TO PRINTING Pl ZESSES. FOLDING MACHINES, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed Gctoner 1, 1923.

i 'll all "MHZ/(U)? 9'11 wa concern:

lie it known that I. (irons Srncss. a citizen oi the German Republic, and a resident of Leipzig flcrmanv have invented certain new use ul improvements in Devices for Feeding Fvheets lo Printing Presses. Folding Machines. and the like. o which tie following is a specification.

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to devices for feeding sheets to printing-presses, folding-machines and the like of the type in which a feeler or pawl on an oscillating lever which controls the raising; and lowering: of the feed wheel is actuated by the sheet that had been fed forward, is brought into eng ment with a continuously rotating driving organ such as a ratchet wheel, and in which the disengagement of the pawl and ratchet wheel is effected by acceleration of the s cillating lever relatively to the driving organ.

The invention consists in the combination of an oscillating: lever, adapted to be engaged with a continuously rotating ratchet wheel and provided with a pawl actuated by the sheet fed-in from the staple, with a link member thus forming a combination of link-levers and connected so that the acceleration of the oscillating lever is increased through the increased pressure momentum when the link levers are brought nearly into the straight or stretched position and the acceleration being; limited by the stretched position of the link lovers. The aforesaid arrangement enables a smooth working of the driving' mechanism and especially a hard stop for the limitation of the acceleration is avoided. The link-levers may be so arranged that the force causing its stretching may assist the action of the rotary driving organ upon the lever sys tem, the latter serving for the raising or lowering of the feed wheel or the link levers may be so arranged in said lever system that by its stretching the raising of the feed wheel is effected.

In the aforesaid arrangement a spring may be used for accelerating the engaged lever system relatively to the driving organ wherebythc action of the spring upon the lever-system is so arranged that the axial direction of the spring is changed just before the stretched position. of the levers is reached Serial No. 665,759.

In order to obtain a smooth running and to avoid hard knocks a device may be pro videcl for locking the lever system serving: for raising and lowering the feed when when the link eveis are in the stretched position l urthermorc special locking; device may he provided for securing: the o cillat ing lever when link-levers are in the stretched position.

The spring which serves for holdingthe pawl of the engaging device actuated by the sheet fed-in in readiness is secured to a non-movable support in such a manner that only on the return of the oscillating; lever into its normal starting position the initial tension of the spring is attained. This is important because on a strong; distensioning of the; spring it may happen that the pawl on abutting against its stop may jump back into the teeth of the rotating ratchet and may re-eng'age therein thus causing interruptions of the work. and waste of material i. e. the damage of the edges of the sheets.

Moreover the known types of she t feedin;; devices do not permit the increase of speed to at least 10,000 feeds.

Three forms of construction of the sheet feeding device according to this invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawircs in which the Figs. 1, 3 and show the three devices in the normal starting position and Figs. 2, 4. and G in their working position after the pawl has been disengaged from the continuously rotating ralchet wheel.

Fig. 7 shows a detail of a link-lever connection.

On the feeding table 1 is spread out the pile of sheets, the feed wheel 2 is mounted in a casing of the lever 4 rotatable on the shaft 3. Rigidly connected with the lever 4 is the lever 5 the forked end of which engages the pin 6 of the bell crank lever 8 rotatably mounted on the shaft 7 The spring 9 acting on the lever 8 presses the feeding wheel 2 onto the pile of sheets. The roller 10 on the lever arm 8 is adapted to cooperate in known manner with the racesurface 11 of the oscillating double armed lever 18 loosely pivoted on a pin 12. Rotatable on a pin 14 on the lower arm of the lever 13 is the double armed pawl 15, the lower arm of which extends into the path of the sheets fedv from the pile thus forming a feeler. The pawl 15 is subjected to the action of a spring 16 secured on a pin 17 fixed on the frame 24 of the machine. This spring action causes the pawl 15 to rest against the pivotal pin 12 as shown in Fig. 1.

Opposite the top end of the pawl 15 is arranged the ratchet wheel 18 adapted to rotate continuously upon the shaft 19.

. Mounted on the latter is a cam 20 co-opcrat ing with the roller 21 on the bell-crank lever 8. Connected to the oscillating lever 13 are the link-levers 22, 23. one end of which is secured to the machine frame 24. A roller 25 journalled in the link-levers 22, 23 is actuated by a cam 26 on a driving shaft.

The working of the device is as follows: The sheet fed-in by the feed wheel 2 meets the lower arm or feeler of the pawl 15, which latter is thus brought into engagement with the teeth of the continuously rtating ratchet wheel 18, thereby slightly tensioning the spring 16. The ratchet wheel I 18 now moves the pawl 15 until the latter abuts against the stop pin 27 on the lever 13, which latter is then moved or oscillated, whereby the roller on the bell-crank lever 8 is caused to roll along the inclined racing-- surface 11 of the lever 13, resulting in a r0- tation of the shaft 7 and consequently lifting the feed-wheel 2 by means of the pin 6 and fork 5. At the same time the linklevers 22, 23 become stretched and just before being straightened out the roller 10 passes from the inclined race-surface 11 on to the horizontal race-surface 11 of the lever 13. On account of the sudden interruption of the resistance, the lever 13 being under the action of the ratchet wheel 18, receives an acceleration caused by the weight of the linlelevers 22, 23. This acceleration ceases as soon as the link-levers are in a. straight line, but sul'lices for releasing or disengaging the pawl from. the ratchet wheel 18 by means of the spring 16.

At this moment the parts of the device will be in the position as shown in Fig. 2. The pawl 15 has thereby become moved so far that its upper end rests against the pivotal pin 12 and the spring 16 is consequently only slightly distensioned so that the pawl is prevented from snapping back. During the further working cycle, the cam 26 causes the link-levers 22, 23 to be brought into the bent position and thus the oscillating lever 13 restores into its normaf starting position, i. e. the lever 23 abuts against the stop 36, and after'the cam' 26 has left the roller is heldi in this position by the spring 16. The feeding wheel 2 is lowered on to the sheet pile by the coaction of the cam 18 and the spring 9' in order to feed-in a fresh sheet.

In the example shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

the link-levers are combined with the lever system serving for lifting the feed wheel.

The bell-crank lever 28 rotates on the shaft 7 and is provided with the roller 21, which latter is actuated by the cam 20. In this form of construction the bell crank lever 28 is positively linked by means of the member to a lever 29 (which substitutes in this case the oscillating lever 13 with its race-surfaces of Figs. 1 and 2), and is provided with the pawl 15.

Lever 29 and member 30 form a bent link lever, which after the pawl 15 has been brought by the fed-in sheet into engagement with the ratchet wheel 18. becomes stretched and causes the bell crank lever 28 and its shaft 7 to rotate, and consequently causes the lifting of the feed wheel 2 by means of the pin 6 and the fork 5. The acceleration of the lever 29 is eifected'apart from the quicker movement of the lever-system on account of the reduced or interrupted working resistance during the bringing of the link-levers from the bent into the stretched position-by a spring 31 acting between a fixed point 32 and the lower arm of the oscillating lever 29, in such a manner that shortly before the link levers 29, 30 become straight, the spring 31 is caused to reverse the direction of rotation of the oscillating lever 29, that is to say, that the spring 31 acts first against the force of the ratchet wheel 18 and then in the same direction thus causing the desired acceleration. This change in the rotary movement is achieved by the axial displacement of the s ring 31, so that the axis of the spring is isplaoed to the right of the pivotal pin 12, when the lever 29 is moved to the left (Fig. 3) and the displacement to the left is caused on moving the lever 29 to the right (Fig, 4).

In order to provide a certain play be tween the feed wheel 2 and the link levers 29, the link member 30 may be provided with a slot as shown in the "letail of Fig. 7.

Mounted on the shaft 19 of the ratchet wheel 18 is also the cam 34, co-operating with a roller 35 on the oscillating lever 29 and serving for bringing the link-levers 29, 30 from the straight position (Fig. 4") into the normal starting position (Fig.

The working of this. form of construction is generally the same as in the example previously described.

After the pawl 15 has been brought into engagement by the sheet fed-in, the lever 29 is rotated thus causing a stretching of the link-levers 29, 30 and a rotation of the bell-crank lever 28 and its shaft 7, resulting in the lifting of the feed wheel 2. At the same time the axial displacement of the spring .31 to the left of the pivotal pin 12 takes place and causes the acceleration of the movement of the lever 29. The pawl 15 has thereby become released from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18 by the action of the leaf-spring 37. The movement of the lever 29 stops automatically as soon as the straight position of the link-levers 29, 30 is attained. During the further work ing cycle,by the co-action of the spring 9, the cam 20, the roller 21 on the bell crank lever 28, with the cam 34, and roller 35 on the oscillating lever 29,-thc linklevers 2930 are brought into the bent position and the lever system as well as the feed wheel are restored into their normal starting positions, and secured therein by the tension of the spring 81 and the stop 33.

The example shown in Figs. 5 and 6 differs from the last construction only by the provision of ayielding locking device for securing the whole lever system in the stretched position of the link-levers 29, 30, in which position the feed wheel 2 is lifted from the pile of sheets, and furthermore for securing the oscillating lever 29 and the link member 30 in the stretched po sition and in the normal starting position.

The provision of these locking devices is especially recommendable when working at high speed in order to obtain a smooth running without hard knocks. The devices consist on the one hand of a locking arm 39 actuated by a spring 38 and rotatable on a pin 40 fixed on the machine frame, provided with a locking notch 41 for engaging a roller 42 on the bell crank lever 28, and on the other hand of a looking arm 44 actuated by a spring 43 and rotatable on a pin 45, provided with looking notches 46, 48, for engaging a roller 47 on the oscillating lever 29.

The stop 33 in Figs. 3 and 4 here becomes unnecessary.

During the working cycle the lever 29, with the link member 30 and the whole lever system are securely held in the stretched position by the engagement of the roller 42 on the bell crank lever 28 in the notch 41 of the locking arm 39 and the oscillating lever 29 is furthermore secured by the engagement of its roller 47 in the notch 48 of the locking arm 44. At the same time the pawl 15 becomes released from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18. In the samemanner as described in the aforementioned forms of construction the parts may be returned into the normal starting position after overcoming the spring pressure on the locking arms, and are then held in this position by the engagement of the roller 47 on the oscillating lever 29 in the notch 48 on the locking arm 44.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a sheet feeding device for printing presses, folding machines and the like of the type in which the lever gear of the feeding device co-operates with an oscillating lever controlled by the advancing sheets actuating a detector pawl in cooperation with a toothed driver or ratchet wheel and in which the disengagement of the pawl and ratchet wheel is effected by acceleration of the oscillating lever relatively to the driving means, the combination with the oscillating lever having cam surfaces of different in clinations, the lesser inclined surfaces excrting a greater lifting force of linirlewrs in such connection that the acceleration of the oscillating lever is increased through tl e increased pressure momentum while acting with the lesser inclined portion in opclaim 1 in which the oscillating lever is con nected with lever systems, serving for raising and lowering the feed Wheel, by means of a link member forming link-levers, so that the stretching of its members causes the raising of the feed wheel whereby the acceleration of the movement of the oscillating lever during the transition into the stretched position is assisted by a spring acting upon said lever in such a manner, that it acts at the beginning of the lever movement against the same, but shortly before attaining the stretched position is acting in the same direction with and upon the oscillating lever.

4. In a sheet feeding device, a table, a feed wheel arranged thereover, a lever swingingly mounting the wheel, an oscillating lever having a race surface, a lever for rocking the first lever and having a part engaging the race surface of the oscillating lever, a detector pawl pivoted on the latter, a rotating ratchet for engaging the pawl to effect movement of the oscillating lever, and means for effecting release of the pawl from the ratchet.

5. In a sheet feeding device, a frame, a table thereon, a feed wheel swingingly mounted on the frame, a detector pawl, an oscillating lever, a rotating ratchet, said pawl being pivotally mounted on the lever for being engaged by a fed sheet for being rocked into engagement with the ratchet whereby the oscillating lever will be moved in one direction, means operable by the lever for swinging the feed wheel from the table, and means for effecting release of the pawl from the ratchet.

6. In a sheet feeding device, a frame, a table thereon, a feed wheel mounted for be ing elevated from and lowered to the table,

arr-oscillating lever, a rotating ratchet, a dctector pawl pivoted on the lever for limited swinging and adapted to be moved by a fed sheet into engagement with the ratchet whereby the latter will act through the pawl to swing the lever in one direction to a limited extent means operable by the lever to elevate the feed wheel from the table, and means for imparting a quickened movement toward the final limit of said movement of the lever to effect a release of the pawl from the ratchet.

7. A sheet feeding device as claimed in claim 6, in which means are provided to lock said teed wheel in the elevated position.

8. In a sheet feeding device, a frame, a table thereon a feed wheel mounted for being elevated from and lowered to the table, an oscillating lever, a rotating ratchet, a detector pawl on the lever for limited swinging and adapted to be moved by a ted sheet into engagement with the ratchet whereby the latter will act through the pawl to swing the lever in one direction to a limited extent, means for elevating and lowering the wheel including a link pivotally connected to the oscillating lever for toggle like movement whereby said pivotal connection will move beyond dead center to lock the feed wheel elevated and said link and lever against re- 1 turn movement, and means for disengaging the pawl from the ratchet.

9. A sheet feeding device as claimed in claim 8 in which the pawl disengaging means comprises a tension spring positioned between the pawl and a fixed point on the frame in such manner that it resumes its normal tension. only on the return of the oscillating lever into its normal starting position, but after release of the pawl at first is under greater tension, for the purpose of preventing a jumping-back of the pawl. 19gg'rgned at Leipzig this 16th day of August,

GEORG SPIESS.

Witnesses RUDOLPH FRICKS, ALFRED ZUEOKER. 

